


Can Ultimate Geniuses Overcome Despair?

by SansyG12



Series: The Kamukura Twins [1]
Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa 3: The End of 希望ヶ峰学園 | The End of Kibougamine Gakuen | End of Hope's Peak High School
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Burns, Fluff, Hajime Sato and Natsumi are friends kind of change my mind, Hajime goes by Hinata, Hajime has a rasp, Hajime is Hajime Kamukura, Hajime is actually the bridge between Sato and Natsumi and the other two are still enemies, Hajime is looked down upon by his parents, Hajime is sad boy, Hajime is scarred, Hajime is the Ultimate Genius, He is related to the founder yes, Hinata Hajime and Kamukura Izuru Are Twins, How Do I Tag, Kamukura Izuru Has Feelings, Kamukura's are talented, Komaeda is pining, Komaeda needs a puppy, M/M, Naegi is happy, Scarring, That is discovered later in time, The Tragedy of Hope's Peak Academy, junko is a bitch
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-17
Updated: 2021-01-17
Packaged: 2021-03-15 11:53:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,502
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28812990
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SansyG12/pseuds/SansyG12
Summary: The 77th class are face to face with Ryota Mitarai. Izuru and the rest of them need to stop Ryota and his lackey from spreading the hope video and brainwashing the world. It just so happens that they know the mystery person."Hinata-kun?""... I haven't heard that name in years..."
Relationships: Hinata Hajime/Komaeda Nagito
Series: The Kamukura Twins [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2121606
Comments: 2
Kudos: 53





	Can Ultimate Geniuses Overcome Despair?

Izuru walked into the room, watching the two men. One of them was typing franticly on the keyboard, a hood covering his view of them. The other was staring at the countdown before them, watching the numbers tick down until the eradication of despair. The other man was Ryota Mitarai.

His tapping footsteps alerted the two, but only Ryota turned around.

“It can’t be!” Ryota exclaimed, stepping back. His face was filled with horror and terror. Understandable considering their last meeting.

“Kamukura, Izuru!”

The other turned their head slightly, pausing their typing for a moment. Once the moment passed they were fully focused on their work once more, writing lines and lines of code.

It made Izuru’s stomach turn when he couldn’t decipher the code.

Ryota gritted his teeth, his stance widening. Izuru could see that the demeanor about him changed. He wasn’t going to flee again.

“I won’t run away. Not again. Not this time.”

Predictable.

“Hinata and I are going to wipe out despair! We’re almost there, not even you could stop us.” Ryota yelled.

Izuru could already tell how desperate he was. His eyes betrayed it. There was something off about all of this, an anomaly.

Hinata? That sounds… familiar… in a way.

The person at the computer muttered something, but only Ryota heard.

“A world without despair… A world with no pain and sadness, even if a loved one died? How boring that would be.” Izuru knew the feeling of losing a loved one. He lost his twin to the reserve course suicides. The despair, pain, and sadness he felt could not be recreated. It was Enoshima’s true method of invoking despair into his heart.

“Is that really your idea of hope?” He asked the animator.

A world where he couldn’t mourn the loss of his brother. A world where he would forget about him and smile happily every day. He didn’t want that. That, to him, was true despair.

“You don’t understand! You’re too strong to understand! Not everyone is as strong as you. Hinata and I, and everyone else, we aren’t as strong as you! How could you possibly understand what we’re trying to accomplish?!” Ryota burst.

More footsteps tapped throughout the room.

Right on time.

The rest of his class appeared, standing at his side. Whether it was on separate walkways or behind them, they were backing him up. Izuru’s courage spiked and he continued to talk.

“I’m not strong either. I have many regrets…” His brother’s face flashed in his mind. He remembered the last time he talked with his brother. He told his brother that he was busy, while his brother cried for him. He had told his brother to grow up and stop acting like a child missing his parents. That was the biggest regret of his life, his last words being so horrible.

“…so many regrets… Do you have any regrets Ryota? Hinata?”

“…I do…” Ryota mumbled.

“If I didn’t run away, maybe I could have stopped her. It was my technique that went into the despair video that she shared. I should have stopped her, but I was a coward. It’s my fault that she caused so many deaths. It’s my fault that thousands of people died. It’s my fault!” Ryota was sobbing by the end.

Hinata mumbled something, still typing. Izuru didn’t dwell on it.

“Is that the reason you want to erase despair? I still see this as a form of running away from your problem. Don’t run away.” Izuru told Ryota and Hinata.

“Are you all really ok with what I’ve done? I caused all of this!” Ryota sobbed. Hinata remained typing.

“We can’t undo our history, even if we wanted to. I wouldn’t want to forget Chiaki,-” or him “ acting like she never existed. To me, that would be true despair.”

“Because we survived, we must atone.” Nekomaru butted in.

“That is the fate for those who live.” Gundam carried on.

“Who would possibly forgive the deeds that despair made you all do?” Hinata called, his voice coming out raspy.

“You misunderstand. Atonement is not about forgiveness.” Sonia interjected.

“You made mistakes, but so have we. Everyone makes mistakes.” The SHSL Imposter stated.

“We aren’t like you, we’ve never been like you. The two of us, we’ve always been alone.” Ryota protested.

“We would be with the two of you if you join us.” Izuru offered.

Noises of approval came from the observing classmates, but Ryota shook his head.

“I don’t deserve to.”

Izuru allowed a rare smile to creep up onto his face, something he rarely did.

“Worth has nothing to do with being someone’s classmates.”

**[This is where my memory and wiki references come to an end]**

Ryota fell to his knees, all of this being too much for him. Hinata looked behind him, seeing Ryota’s collapse. Izuru could already tell that Hinata knew he was alone in his endeavor.

“Hinata?”

The hooded boy looked up, his hands still twirling across the keyboard.

“We don’t know you, but the offer still stands.”

Hinata turned back to the keyboard, typing.

“I can’t. I’ve been waiting for this moment for three years. I can’t back down now, not when everything I had depends on it.”

“Hinata, are you even sure this is the right thing anymore?” Ryota asked through his tears.

Hinata was silent.

Suddenly, a chiming voice broke through the silence.

“Hinata-Kun?”

Hinata stopped typing. The countdown slowed down, no longer showing a minute but an hour. The code was to speed it up, Izuru realized.

“… I haven’t heard that name in years…” Hinata murmured.

Hinata turned to look at the person who walked to Izuru’s side. Izuru turned his head, looking at Nagito.

Nagito’s eyes held a look that Izuru knew. The face one makes when reuniting with a lost friend or lover.

“It is you right? Hinata-Kun?” Nagito asked, needing to confirm.

Hinata gripped the sides on his hood, drawing the hood down to reveal his face. Izuru never felt worse.

Short and spikey hair, an untameable tuft at the back. Izuru could recognize that style. The burns stretching across one side of his hair, the flesh twisted and deformed. It was no longer obvious but to Izuru who saw the face of his brother every day in his own grieving mind, the scars were too obvious. The new red-eye also struck a chord in Izuru, he could recognize his brother, but at the same time, he couldn’t recognize the stranger in front of him.

“It is.”

It hurt him. It hurt him in more places than he had ever been hurt before. He had seen his phone – broken, destroyed, covered in blood – he was sure that his brother had died that day. But here he was, standing before him. Alive.

Komaeda stepped forward, Hinata stayed where he was.

“I’m so glad you’re alright Hinata-Kun. I thought you had died from my luck.”

Hinata’s cold eyes glared at the lucky student.

“That’s a lie, Komaeda. You already know it.”

Komaeda tilted his head, confusion etched across his face. “What do you mean, Hinata-Kun?”

“You used to say it all the time when you went to Hope’s Peak. I heard you when your class would video call each other. The reserve course is disgraceful, leeching off the talented.”

“Hinata-kun, I-“

“Don’t go there! Don’t tell me that I am better than them. I couldn’t even save one of them. I couldn’t even spare anyone…”

So Izuru was right to an extent, he was caught in the accident, and judging from the scars, it’s a miracle that he’s still alive.

Hinata’s hands brushed his face, his eyes going glassy and far away. He was likely remembering the event, from the way his shoulders were trembling.

“The fire… the blood… the bodies… it was a man-made nightmare.”

His eyes flicked up, staring Izuru in the eyes.

“You know about that, don’t you?”

Izuru clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. He needed to remain cool-headed and calm. Hinata saw through him.

“You saw my phone that was hit off the higher floors. I had been fighting the crowd and lost my phone as a result. A body must have crashed near it and the blood and destruction made you think I was dead. So you didn’t even try to find me or my body.”

Izuru felt that pit in his heart grow bigger.

“I was pushed through a fire on those higher floors. I was covered in blood, my face on fire, and my brother was nowhere to be found. My own twin abandoned me to that tower!”

Hinata grabbed his head in his hands, looking away and very clearly shaking. Sharing his trauma was likely something he had never done before.

“It was pure luck that I stumbled into that destroyed classroom where Yukizome-san and Munakata-Kun were. I shouldn’t have even survived! I was a dead man walking and they brought me back to life! Ever since that day I served the Future Foundation and Munakata-Kun. I held no love for Tengan, who convinced you to take part in that program. I held no love for the other heads, who were too wrapped up in their own problems. I’ve only cared about a few things since that day.”

Hinata took a shaky breath, before continuing with his story.

“Yukizome-san, now lying dead on the floor. Sakakura-Kun, now lying dead in the power control. Munakata-Kun, now fighting for his life against my cause. Mitarai-Kun, now given up. My one goal is to eradicate despair, to erase her from the world.”

No prizes for who ‘her’ could be.

“I guess I can’t be too mad at you for forgetting me…”

Hinata’s voice went soft and he looked Izuru in the eyes again. The look gave him the chills.

“You told me you hated me after all.”

There it was, the root of the problem. This wasn’t about Enoshima. This wasn’t about Despair or Hope. This wasn’t even about the suicides.

“This is about that conversation, isn’t it?”

* * *

Izuru walked into the room, praying that his face held none of those micro-expressions that his brother told him about. The boy in question looked at him with a smile. It made Izuru’s stomach turn.

“Hey Izuru, need anything? Maybe a book on how to interact with normal people?” His brother chuckled as he said that.

Izuru didn’t know how to proceed, his brother acted as if nothing was wrong. It had to be an act.

“Izuru? Are you ok? You’ve been pretty out of it the last few days.”

“You are pathetic.”

Izuru breathed in, a little deeper than normal. He already started. He needed to keep going.

“You are pathetic, leeching off the main course,” Izuru said again, this time finishing his sentence.

The outrage from his brother almost made him flinch, but he didn’t. He needed to stay strong, tell him what he knows so he can get the answers he wants.

“What in the world gave you that idea?!”

Izuru took out the manilla folder from her, throwing it on the table. He had already gone through it and affirmed that the pictures were true. He kept the audio evidence in his dorm, just to keep it safe. As his brother picked it up and looked inside, Izuru thought about what he would see.

His brother and Komaeda.

His brother and Kuzuryuu.

His brother and Koizumi.

His brother and Nanami.

This cemented the idea in his head that he needed answers.

“Have you been stalking me?!” His brother demanded, glaring him in the eyes.

“A friend of mine gave these to me and informed me of your activities,” Izuru explained, keeping his voice even.

“A friend? You’re willing to believe a main course friend over me? I’m your brother, Izuru! I’m not leeching off the main course, Natsumi and Sato are my friends! And Ko is a long time friend of mine! Chiaki met me one day at the fountain and we game there together. I’m not leeching off of the main course!”

Izuru knew this was where his own evaluated evidence would come into play. He needed to make his brother know that he wasn’t fooled. Time to tell him what he has.

“To me, this looks like a decisive move. You have never made friends with people before, and suddenly having a small group of friends that just so happens to either be main course or having ties to the main course is very suspicious. According to Natsumi and Sato, you asked them if they had family or friends in the main course, respectively. According to Komaeda, you sought him out and met him outside the main gates, at the time that he normally leaves to work in a nearby pet store. And it was very convenient that on the day that the main course students were running around and trying to escape our teacher, you were waiting at the fountain. A location that has an 87.92% chance of being in the crossfire target range. It was close to guarantee that you would meet at least one main course student from my class.”

Seeing the look on his brother’s face made his heart bleed. Pointing that out to the person he cares the most about had been hard.

“Let me guess, your friend told you all of that.”

That hurt, but not as much as what he was going to have to say next.

“She has audio evidence to back her up.”

“What?”

The shock in his voice was thick.

“It has to be doctored.”

“It wasn’t. There were no anomalies in the way they talked and in the way the conversation carried on.”

He let his brother think about it a bit, let it sink in how much Izuru knew about his scheme.

“Well? I’m waiting.” Izuru winced a bit. That sounded more condescending than he intended.

“For what?” The venom in those words stung.

“For you to tell me why you would do this? Why would you stoop so low, you never did before.”

A dry laugh escaped his brother, causing concern. The next words sparked something inside of Izuru.

“I can’t tell you.”

After all of that and his brother refused to say his intentions?

“Why not?”

“You won’t believe me.”

Izuru has believed in a lot more outlandish things. Why his brother took advantage of his friends is the least of them.

Izuru turned to the door, walking towards it. Time for the ultimatum.

“Where are you going?”

“If you won’t tell me why you did this, then I refuse to speak to you until you do.”

Now that he said it out loud, it was petty. Childish even, but Izuru didn’t care. He needed answers.

“Please don’t do this.” His brother begged him.

Izuru looked over his shoulder, scanning his brother’s face for any sign that he would tell him the truth. Nothing. Only desperation and despair.

“Despicable. I hate people like you, who take advantage of others to elevate themselves.”

When Izuru said that, for a second he forgot who he was talking to. He was saying that to a reserve course student who messed with the people Izuru considers as friends. In the blink of an eye, he was standing in front of his brother again. The despair, the hopelessness in his eyes.

Izuru walked out, not knowing what else to do. He hated seeing his brother like this.

But he had to get answers.

Right?

* * *

Izuru was brought back to the present by the raspy laugh of his brother. Hinata threw his head back and let out the raspy, dry laughs that sent shivers through Izuru’s core.

“What makes you say that?”

“My last words were an insult to you. I said ‘I hate people like you’.”

Komaeda glanced at Izuru with wide eyes. Izuru wouldn’t believe it himself if he hadn’t been the one to say it.

“You showed me how everyone betrayed me!” Hinata yelled, his raspy voice echoing through the room.

“Betrayed?” Komaeda asked.

Hinata turned to the computer, causing everyone to tense up. Instead of speeding the clock up again, he opened an audio file and played it.

**“This is interview one of the Kamukura case. The subject being interviewed is Komaeda Nagito. I would like to ask you a few questions about one of the Kamukura twins, is that alright?”**

_“Go ahead.”_

Komaeda jerked a bit when he heard his own voice.

**“How did you and Hajime Kamukura meet?”**

_“The first or second time?”_

**“Second.”**

_“Well, I was leaving the main course building and he came up to me. He told me he recognized me the other day and introduced himself. I didn’t find anything suspicious and he did look like the same Hajime I met when I was a kid.”_

**“Looking back on it, do you think it was intentional?”**

_“Maybe. It was odd how he was waiting there when I was going out for work. He zeroed in on me pretty quickly too. I wouldn’t expect that on a normal day, I wasn’t the only one leaving the building after all.”_

**“So he could have been planning it.”**

_“I’m not sure. I have work soon so I need to go.”_

**“Alright. Thank you for your time.”**

A click away was another clip.

**“This is interview two of the Kamukura case. The subject being interviewed goes by Sato, full name unknown. I would like to ask you a few questions about one of the Kamukura twins, is that alright?”**

_“Yes.”_

**“When you met Hajime Kamukura, was he interested in the main course?”**

_“No. He expressed that he had no desire to be near the main course or their students. He explained that he has ties to one of the students, but he preferred to stay in the aforementioned student’s shadow.”_

**“When do you think he started showing more interest in the main course?”**

_“I’m not sure. I would find him outside the building a lot more, staring at it with an empty gaze.”_

**“When did he ask you about the main course?”**

_“Natsumi and I were in an argument about my friend Mahiru. Hajime defused the argument and then asked us if we had ties to the main course. I told him about Mahiru and Natsumi mentioned her brother. Hajime asked if he could meet them and both Natsumi and I agreed.”_

**“So, do you think he was trying to make more connections to the main course?”**

_“Possibly. He doesn’t come off like that kind of person but I wouldn’t put it past him to be manipulative.”_

**“Alright. Thank you for your time. The next subject will be arriving shortly.”**

Click.

**“This is interview three of the Kamukura case. The subject being interviewed goes by Natsumi Kuzuryuu. I would like to ask you a few questions about one of the Kamukura twins, is that alright?”**

_“Whatever.”_

**“How did Hajime Kamukura act when you first met him?”**

_“Well, that’s a weird question. Let me think a bit… Oh yeah! He was stopping me from punching that Sato girl in the face. He acted kinda standoffish and told me to cut it out. Kinda impressive since he knew my background an all.”_

**“Right. When would you say his normal behavior changed?”**

_“Right around the time Sato and I got heated in our arguments. He was spending more time around the main course. Before that, he basically stayed as far away as he could, used to say that he didn’t need more reminders of his failure or something along those lines.”_

**“Ok last question. Do you think he was trying to make more connections to the main course?”**

_“Probably. I reckon he got some kind of sweet offer if he sucked up well enough.”_

**“Thank you, that is all I required.”**

Click.

**“This is interview four of the Kamukura case. The subject being interviewed goes by Chiaki Nanami. I would like to ask you a few questions about one of the Kamukura twins, is that alright?”**

_“Of course!”_

That was Chiaki’s voice…

**“What happened when you and Hajime Kamukura met?”**

_“I bumped into him at the fountain. I was playing some video games and we bonded over Gala Omega. Have you heard of it? It’s a classic!”_

**“I am aware of the game but that is not what I am asking about.”**

_“Right… sorry.”_

**“Anyway, would you say he was acting odd?”**

_“I’m not sure. But we do have fun gaming together. He asks me questions about the main course sometimes, and I answer them. He mentioned something about a failure, but I’m not sure if he was talking about a game he played or something IRL.”_

**“Alright then. You are quite a cheerful girl.”**

_“I am the rep for my class. It’s my goal to keep my classmates together.”_

**“I see. Thank you for your time.”**

Click.

“Everyone. All my friends lied to incriminate me. Everyone turned their backs on me!” Hinata shouted at them, gripping the keyboard tightly.

“… That was doctored.” Fuyuhiko stated.

“What?” Hinata spat, glaring at the Yakuza.

“For starters, Natsumi wouldn’t be thinking someone was brave if they stopped her from punching someone. She would think that they were a prick and deserved to have their limbs chopped off and their blood slowly dried. And secondly, Chiaki didn’t yawn, at all. That’s a big red flag right there.”

“Oh yeah. And Sato doesn’t speak like that. She’s more blunt with her words.”

Hinata turned to look at Mahiru, his eyes wide. Izuru was also stunned. He should have at least picked up on that.

“Plus, I can vouch for myself when I say that I never said any of that. I remember going for an interview about my luck. The first part reminds me of what I said then.” Komaeda added helpfully.

“… So why didn’t you believe me Izuru?” Hinata said slowly, looking to Izuru again.

The pain in those eyes…

“Why…?”

Izuru needed to come clean.

“I was mad. I heard about my brother taking advantage of my friends and I was mad about it. I thought she was telling the truth because I didn’t know about her deception at the time. I thought if I showed you what I knew, then you would confess and change your ways.”

“I had nothing to confess. You made me think my friends abandoned me! You helped convince me to join the reserve course in their riot, even before it grew public!”

Izuru had no clue the reserve course was already planning a riot, but he needed to confess his crime first.

“I know, and I apologize. All of that convinced me that Tengan’s hope cultivation project was worth it. I am sorry for not seeing through her lies.”

“Who is her?! Who are you referring to Izuru? Tell me!”

“Junko Enoshima.”

Hinata grew silent, the name sitting heavy in the air. Everyone flinched at the mention of the woman who ruined the world.

“It was her…”

Soft, rasping chuckles filled the air, turning into sandpaper laughs.

“She manipulated you, manipulated us!”

He hunched over, covering his mouth and trying to stop his words. He couldn’t.

“All this time I thought you despised me, all this time the despair of my own brother’s hatred festered in my heart! It was all her plan…”

He stood up straight, tears running down from his green eye and his hands shaking.

“It was all her fault…”

He stood there for a bit, recovering from his outburst. Izuru gave him space, and so did everyone else.

“…”

“Hey… Zuru?”

Izuru’s heart melted at his old nickname.

“Yes, Haji?”

“… You guys won’t mind if I tag along until this all blows over? I don’t think Munakata-Kun will be happy with me.”

Komaeda, being himself, of course, chose that moment to run up to his long time best friend, hugging him and muttering ‘don’t leave again’ under his breath. Izuru swore he could hear his brother murmur an ‘I won’t’ in response.

Hajime reached back behind him, clicking cancel on the clock. It was at 40 minutes.

* * *

Naegi was proud of his accomplishments. When the Ultimate Imposter walked out of the building with Ryota Mitarai, he knew he did it. Izuru stalked out with Hajime Hinata and Nagito Komaeda, he felt like he accomplished something. He was also very grateful for Hajime dragging Nagito away when things got awkward.

“Why were his hands sticky?” Naegi asked himself.

“So soft…”

“Nagito you idiot…”

“I swear he gets gayer with age!” He distinctly heard Hiyoko sneer.

He dodged something there didn’t he.

* * *

Hajime looked out from the bow of the boat, watching the sunset. That argument in the building brought back some memories.

* * *

Hajime was staring at the main course building a scowl etched into his face. Izuru was in there now, getting praised by their parents.

**_“He has no talent.”_ **

**_“It’s pointless.”_ **

**_“His parents are right to be disappointed.”_ **

**_“He doesn’t even need to pay to get in.”_ **

**_“They want him to succeed that much?”_ **

**_“Must be nice, since he’s still rich and all.”_ **

All those comments stung at his heart, causing him to clutch his chest. It hurt, badly.

A soft bump and some beeping brought him back to his senses, he noticed a girl standing beside him. She was holding a consol in her hand, looking very focused on the screen. It took her a second to even look up at him. She blushed, slightly embarrassed.

It took Hajime a bit to realize she wasn’t going to talk.

“A-Are you okay?”

“Yeah.” She replied, starting to walk away.

Hajime sighed in relief but he couldn’t get the beeps out of his head. They were familiar…

It took him a second but he got it. Thinking out loud, he said four words he wouldn’t regret if it saved his life.

“Is that Gala Omega?”

She paused, turning around with a light in her eyes.

“You know it? It’s such an old game!”

She was suddenly in his face, taking him by surprise.

“Y-yeah.”

She gasped, leaning in even closer.

“It’s a classic, don’t you think?”

Even closer.

“It’s a total classic, right?!”

Hajime held his arms up in defense, wondering how he was getting cornered by such a small girl.

“Y-yeah… I once played through it five times in a row.”

A feat he was very proud of. Sure Izuru beat him soundly with ten, before getting bored and going to sleep. His brother is only motivated by crushing him under his boot…

“Really?!”

“Yeah. It’s true.” _Please get out of my face._

**[oh god I picked ten times for Izuru and now I realize that Chiaki did ten times as well]**

She got out of his face, finally.

“Ten times is my limit!”

Seems like Izuru has competition. Great, something else that could motivate him.

“That’s even more impressive.” Hajime complimented the gamer girl. Yeah, that sounded right. Gamer girl.

“But I’ve never met anyone besides me who could play that much before!”

Hajime’s brain suddenly went out of focus. Was she complimenting him? On something that his brother would always be better at. She didn’t even know him but surely she heard of Izuru. He hardly heard her next question.

“Hey, show me sometime. Promise?”

Did he just make a friend?

“…Uh, S-sure.”

Oh, Izuru would be cackling if he could see the look on his brother’s face.

A minute later, the gamer girl was sitting on the edge of the fountain, Hajime still standing. He felt like he needed to say something.

He saw the class roster for Izuru’s class. Her face was there, titled as the Ultimate Gamer.

“But… You all have incredible talents, don’t you?”

He looked at his hand, the words of his parents floating through his mind and escaping his lips.

“If only I had talent, too…”

“It doesn’t make a difference whether you have a talent or not.”

“Huh?”

That contradicted everything Hajime had been told. Being a Kamukura meant that talent was everything.

“I mean, that isn’t the end goal.”

“But…” Hajime was about to refute her claim when she spoke up again.

“You have greater freedom than we do.”

That… She might be onto something.

“All I have are games, but you can go anywhere, and become anything.”

Huh…

Hajime looked away, lost in thought.

She might be right about that.

* * *

When Natsumi Kuzuryuu bowed to the class and said-

_“I don’t know why they tossed me into this class with the rest of you dead-end trash fires, but nice to meetcha.”_

-Hajime knew she was going to cause a bit of trouble.

He still didn’t want her approaching his desk as lunch though.

“Hey.”

He ignored her.

“Hey dumbass!”

He decided he should react before she threw his desk out the window.

“Hm?”

“It’s so weird, the way you stare at the main course building.”

That was a terrible conversation starter. He just likes to make sure that Izuru wasn’t going to throw a kid out of the window. He figured out which classroom was his when he noticed Izuru dangling some poor white-haired boy out of the window by his ankle.

“What do you care what I do?”

Great, now he sounded like a prick.

“Bet you don’t have any friends here-“

Well, he had Chiaki and Izuru, though Izuru might not count since their twins. And Chiaki is in the main course…

“-‘cuz we’re alike in that regard.”

“Honestly, your people skills could use some work,” Hajime replied dryly.

The words from earlier that day rang clear in his mind, and seemingly Natsumi’s as well.

“And I meant every word of it.”

Hajime sighed, of course.

“I’m a Super High School Level Little Sister and this place is Loserville.”

Hajime furrowed his brows, knowing clear well that sibling statuses are not accepted into the main course. He knew that from when he used to call himself Super High School Level Older Brother when he was a kid. His parents were sure to correct that.

“You’ve totally heard of us, the chivalrous organization with over 30,000 members. The Kuzuryuu Clan.”

“Wait you mean…” Hajime lowered his voice so his classmates wouldn’t get antsy about it.

“-Like the Yakuza?”

“uh-huh.”

Yep, she was going to be trouble.

“My dad’s the one who’s calling the shots but someday it’s gonna fall to my big brother, the Super High School Level Ganster himself.”

“That’s a talent?” Hajime asked out loud. If that’s the case then Hajime needed to state his case to his parents on why he could be considered the Super High School Level Scholar.

**[Here is where my reference video stopped, so I went to the Japanese subtitles.]**

“Uh-huh. And with an incredible big brother like that, it means I’m a Super High School level Little Sister! See? Makes perfect sense, right?”

No, but he can see where she’s coming from. That was his logic too. Having an amazing little brother like that, with Hajime supporting his every move. Hajime also thought of himself as a Super High School Level Older Brother, even when he was 6 years old. It almost made him regret letting it be stamped out by his parents.

Hajime almost felt bad protesting the logic.

“But considering you’re in the reserve course, you weren’t scouted for the main course, huh?”

“That doesn’t mean I have no talent yet!”

Nevermind the fact that he is tempting a Yakuza, but Hajime was perfectly confident in Kizakura-Kun's scouting skills. Kizakura was a fine man and a great guy to talk to… when he wasn’t drunker than a pirate after a raid.

“Maybe you’ve given up already.”

Hajime gave up when his parents made it clear he would never join the main course. It doesn’t mean he did take offense to the comment.

“I… I can still…”

I can still prove I’m worthy…

Natsumi glared at their classmates, contempt settled in her eyes.

“I’m not like them. I’ll do whatever it takes to get into the Main Course!”

Whatever it takes for a Yakuza could facilitate murder. Hajime should remember that fact and warn Izuru.

“I’ll bet if someone in the Main Course were to quit, I could fill in their open space!”

Hajime felt the urge to protect his little brother grow, and he nearly wanted to reveal who his brother was right then and there.

“Like a certain girl with freckles who I hate, maybe…”

Crisis adverted. Or diverted, from Izuru to someone else. The danger was still there since it could be someone from Izuru’s class. Better safe than sorry.

A hand slammed on Hajime’s desk, startling him from his thoughts. He bore witness to Natsumi and a girl named Sato glaring at each other. People in their class were starting to watch. He was confused about why Sato would come over. She never talked to him or spared him a glance. At least Natsumi bothered to talk to him.

“Natsumi. You’d better not be planning anything weird, okay?”

They… know each other?

“Hey, it’s Sato… Long time, no see. What, were you eavesdropping on us?” Natsumi jeered.

“Just answer me!”

Hajime wasn’t aware that it was a question.

“You’re not plotting something weird again, are you?”

Again? The story was slowly unfolding in front of Hajime, and he did not like the picture it painted.

“Huh? What do you mean by ‘something weird’?” Natsumi feigned innocence.

“Do you two… know each other?” Hajime asked.

“Not really! At my last school, we were just in the same Photography Club.” Natsumi answered.

“If you do anything to Mahiru, I’ll never let you get away with it!” Sato exclaimed.

Mahiru, isn’t that someone in Izuru’s class? The Ultimate… Photographer. Yep, more pieces just fell into place.

The two were glaring daggers now, the tension hung in the air.

“Don’t you just strut up to me and start spewing nonsense!”

“I’m telling you to drop your weird schemes!”

“Don’t get so familiar with me, you Plain Jane!”

Hajime observed the argument, trying to remember how to do what he needed to. From the corner of his eye, he noticed students were openly staring.

“You can’t do anything without hiding behind your parents!”

Suddenly a main course student grabbed Sato by the wrist.

“Stop this!”

Mahiru Koizumi, the Ultimate Photographer from Izuru’s class.

“Tsk…”

“Mahiru…” Sato murmured.

“Long time, no see, Koizumi.” Natsumi basically spat.

“What does a girl from the main course need here?”

“I just…”

“Did you come here to mock these talentless losers?”

**_Talentless._ **

**_Disappointment._ **

**_Worthless._ **

Get it together Hajime. Focus.

“H-hey! Cut that out!” Hajime started, letting the opener sink. He knew he would be overthrown.

Natsumi laughed, “I’m just messing with you!”

“Your brother is in the same class as Mahiru!” Sato argued.

“And mine…” Hajime mumbled, being ignored by the participants of the argument. Mahiru glanced at him though.

“Yeah, and?” Natsumi growled, stepping forward.

“Gonna tattle on me?” She jeered.

“Just try it. I’ll kill you.”

A clear threat. The argument needed to end, and soon.

“You haven’t changed,” Mahiru whispered.

“You haven’t changed since when we were in Photography Club. Still a shitty little goody-two-shoes, secretly looking down on everyone!” Natsumi snarled.

There was a weakness. Hajime could see it, plain as day.

“Are you so desperate to get into the main course that you’d pull down Mahiru to do it? You’re the absolute worst! If the main course didn’t scout you, it means you have no talent!”

Hajime could see that it hit a nerve. Another weakness.

“But you still don’t get that…” Sato continued, “You need to learn your place!”

Hajime’s eyes instantly caught the tensing of Natsumi’s posture, knowing what would come next. Izuru can really piss people off sometimes.

“Why, you…”

Natsumi drew back her fist, and that’s when Hajime pounced.

“That’s enough.”

He caught her swinging fist in a tight hold, stopping Natsumi from socking Sato in the face. Mahiru, who was about to intervene herself, watched astounded.

“Calm down and think rationally,” Hajime said in a level tone, his gaze neutral.

His eyes flicked to the security camera’s, knowing she would follow.

“This room is under surveillance and you would be spotted instantly. Violence, no matter how small, can get you suspended or expelled. That would put a dampener on your chances, wouldn’t it?”

The rational part of her brain was working, her training as a Yakuza coming to her. Hajime knew it was the right call.

He looked over his shoulder to the girls behind him.

“Go.”

They left, and Hajime let go of her fist, sitting down with a sigh. At least he stopped someone from getting suspended.

“You’ve got a pretty strong grip,” Natsumi mumbled, looking at Hajime again. There was newfound respect in her eyes.

“Nobody has caught my fist like that before, ever.”

Hajime looked her over once again, noticing how now the threat was gone, she seemed more mellow. Maybe she could be a good acquaintance?

“My brother gets into a lot of fights, so you learn to catch a fist or two.”

* * *

Hajime was packing his bag when Sato entered the classroom.

“Hey.”

Hajime looked at her.

“Hi, you needed something?”

“Thanks for protecting Mahiru and Me, your wrist must be sore from catching her fist.”

“I’m used to doing stuff like that, it’s all fine.”

Sato clutched her bag tighter, an act that Hajime noticed quickly.

“Still, I’m a total stranger to you. Why protect me and my friend like that?”

“I know what it’s like to get a fist to the face, and besides, you and your friend seem like nice people.

The conversation dissolved into silence and Hajime finished packing his bag, slinging it over his shoulder and walking towards the door.

“Hey, if you want I can get you a drink at the cafeteria. As a thank you.”

Hajime paused, looking over his shoulder at her.

“Sure, I’d like that.”

* * *

Hajime was waiting for Izuru by the main gates, wanting to surprise his brother for once. He checked his watch.

“Where are you Izuru?”

“Hinata-Kun?!”

He looked to his side, seeing one main course student exiting the gates, watching him.

“Hinata-kun, it is you right?”

Hajime realized the student was talking to him, so he nodded.

The white-haired boy beamed, running over to him and hugging him.

“It’s been years since we last saw each other, I am so lucky that I finally found you again!”

Hajime was taken aback by this stranger.

“What?”

The stranger let go, taking a step back and bowing.

“Apologies, you must not recognize me. I am Nagito Komaeda.”

That name was definitely familiar.

“Ko?”

Komaeda beamed again. “Yes! I’m so glad you remember me!”

“How could I forget the boy who set my bed on fire because it was soaking wet?” Hajime teased, glad to have met his best friend once again.

Komaeda blushed, rubbing the back of his neck.

“It was an accident…”

“I know.”

Komaeda looked towards the bus stop before turning towards Hajime again.

“May I ask you to accompany me to work? I wish to catch up with you again if it wouldn’t be too much trouble.”

Izuru won’t mind it if I go, right?

“Sure! Where do you work?”

“The pet shop.”

“Then let’s go!”

The rest of the day was spent helping Komaeda at the pet store. Komaeda got smothered by a Labrador puppy and Hajime had a great time.

* * *

Hinata looked up from his book, smiling as his brother walked into his dorm room.

“Hey Izuru, need anything? Maybe a book on how to interact with normal people?” Hinata chuckled as he waved the mentioned book in the air. It was all a joke of course.

“…” Izuru just stared at Hinata, his emotionless gaze betraying nothing. Not even the micro-expressions appeared. It put Hinata off.

“Izuru? Are you ok? You’ve been pretty out of it the last few days.”

“You are pathetic.”

Hinata blinked, taken aback by the blunt insult.

“I-what?”

“You are pathetic, leeching off the main course.”

Hinata stood up, outraged by this proclamation out of nowhere.

“What in the world gave you that idea?!”

Izuru took a manila folder out of his blazer, throwing it on the table. Pictures poked from it and Hinata picked it up. Looking inside, he found what Izuru was mad about.

Pictures of him and Komaeda were at the forefront of it all. Then, digging further, he saw pictures of him hanging out with his friends. Natsumi introducing him to Fuyuhiko, Mahiru meeting him through Sato. Even images of Chiaki and him, gaming at the fountain, were included in this package.

“What the- have you been stalking me?!” Hinata demanded, glaring at his brother.

“A friend of mine gave these to me and informed me of your activities.”

“A friend? You’re willing to believe a main course friend over me? I’m your brother, Izuru! I’m not leeching off the main course, Natsumi and Sato are my friends! And Ko is a long time friend of mine! Chiaki met me one day at the fountain and we game there together. I’m not leeching off of the main course!”

“To me, this looks like a decisive move. You have never made friends with people before, and suddenly having a small group of friends that just so happens to either be main course of having ties to the main course is very suspicious. According to Natsumi and Sato, you asked them if they had family or friends in the main course, respectively. According to Komaeda, you sought him out and met him outside the main gates, at the time that he normally leaves to work in a nearby pet store. And it was very convenient that on the day that the main course students were running around and trying to escape our teacher, you were waiting at the fountain. A location that has an 87.92% chance of being in the crossfire target range. It was close to guarantee that you would meet at least one main course student from my class.”

Hinata was astounded. He had asked Natsumi and Sato if they had family, and they told him about Mahiru and Fuyuhiko. He had been waiting for Izuru outside the main gates and Komaeda noticed him and took him to his workplace, where Hinata helped Komaeda out. Chiaki was just dumb luck, that’s all.

“Let me guess, your friend told you all of that.”

“She has audio evidence to back her up.”

“What?”

Hinata didn’t expect that. How could she have audio evidence? His friends wouldn’t lie to throw him under the bus… would they?

“It has to be doctored.”

“It wasn’t. There were no anomalies in the way they talked and in the way the conversation carried on.”

Hinata was shocked. His friends betrayed him, threw him under the bus with a bunch of lies.

“Well? I’m waiting.”

“For what?” Hinata spat venomously, despair and spite twisting inside of him like a viper.

“For you to tell me why you would do this? Why would you stoop so low, you never did before.”

Hinata let out a dry laugh, the answers already clicking together in his mind. Izuru was being manipulated and he couldn’t even stop it. Izuru was convinced that he did something wrong, took advantage of his friends. There was nothing Hinata could say to change Izuru’s mind.

“I can’t tell you.”

“Why not?”

“You won’t believe me.”

Izuru turned away, walking to the door.

“Where are you going?” Hinata asked.

“If you won’t tell me why you did this, then I refuse to speak to you until you do.”

It was incredibly petty, but Hinata could tell that Izuru didn’t care.

“Please don’t do this,” Hinata begged.

Izuru gave one last fleeting glance, scanning Hinata’s face. Whatever he found, it wasn’t what he wanted.

“Despicable. I hate people like you, who take advantage of others to elevate themselves.”

Izuru walked out the door, leaving Hinata with his own misery and sorrow.

* * *

“You did great Hajime.”

Hajime was snapped out of his thought by the voice at his side. He was glad he didn’t need to revisit that final memory, the one he would rather be locked away.

“Chiaki?”

The ghost of his friend smiled at him, still wearing the clothes she loved so much.

“I’m glad that you managed to come back from despair, all on your own as well!”

Hajime chuckled, “I wouldn’t say that. Zuru and Ko were a great help. So was Ryota.”

“Even so, I’m proud of you.”

Hajime smiled, “Thanks Chiaki.”

“Hinata-kun!”

Hajime looked behind him, watching as Komaeda enthusiastically waved a meat skewer around in the air. The Ultimate Imposter looked nervously at the skewer.

Hajime noticed Chiaki fade away from the corner of his eye but didn’t mind it. He had new friends, a new family, and a new hope.

Who would’ve thought that the Ultimate Genius, so damaged by despair, could ever hope again?

Hinata didn’t.

But Hajime does.

**Author's Note:**

> I went off script a bunch, but hey. Ignore the plot holes please.


End file.
